It was a morning like any other morning when San Francisco resident Chick Hawksley got into his truck to drive to work. Little did he know that in the next 30 minutes he would accomplish two things: save a kitten's life and help Sue Capezuto find the perfect pet.

After exiting the freeway, Chick was idling at a stoplight when he heard yowls emanating from his vehicle. He pulled over, popped open the hood and discovered a tiny calico kitten, not more than a couple of months old, clinging to a piece of plastic in the engine compartment.

The little ball of fur had held on for 30 minutes on the freeway, with nothing between it and the blur of asphalt below. Chick plucked the trembling kitten from the compartment and did his best to soothe and comfort her. It soon became apparent that there had been other kittens in the engine compartment as well. Apparently, the litter had crawled into the space to keep warm during the chilly night.

Chick took the calico kitten home, cleaned her up and nursed her to back to health. Other than a scar on her ear where she had been burned from the heat of the engine, she seemed to have survived her harrowing ordeal unscathed. Unfortunately, other members of the household were allergic to her, so he embarked upon a search to find the kitten a new home.

Upon a friend's recommendation, Chick contacted the Give Me Shelter Cat Rescue. Director and founder Lana Bajsel expressed confidence that she could find the kitten a loving home. In fact, she already had someone in mind: me.

A volunteer at the organization, I was in the market for a cat, and Lana was sure my heart would melt upon hearing about the kitten's traumatic start in life. I did find the story heart-tugging and compelling, but I wasn't interested in a playful, rambunctious kitten; I wanted a more mature and settled cat.

At the next volunteer meeting, however, Lana "just happened" to bring the little orphan with her. As she suspected, it was love at first sight. That evening, the kitten found her forever home with me and my husband, Chris.

There was one lasting effect from our kitten's infamous car ride. After desperately yowling for half an hour while clinging to the engine, the kitten's vocal cords were damaged, and she lost her voice for several months.

But that minor detail didn't stop this formidable feline from letting us know who was in charge. That's why we named her Tuffy. She is truly the little kitten that could. And has.